Loved ones say judicial system should have done more to protect mother shot and killed by son

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. — Friends and family members are pushing for answers after they said an Arlington mother was shot and killed by her son.

Loved ones are now blaming the Snohomish County courts, arguing they failed to do enough to prevent her death.

Amanda Michaels had been inside the courthouse just weeks before her death. Court documents show her son, Payton Michaels, had been charged after apparently pointing a gun at her and saying he would kill her.

In a video, provided by Amanda’s friend, Amanda asked a judge for help getting her son mental health care.

“I don’t feel like he needs the DV (domestic violence),” Amanda said in the video. “I think he needs help... mental help.”

Amanda’s loved ones say Payton never received adequate mental health care following the incident.

“There is no reason that Amanda should be dead right now if our court system would have protected her,” said her friend, Amber Hardy.

Snohomish County District Court, which handled the case, refused to comment.

Amanda requested a protection order in Snohomish County Superior Court. While she was granted a temporary order, her request was ultimately dismissed.

Court documents show that the decision was made because Amanda failed to show up for the hearing.

Hardy said Amanda did not understand the process, but court officials say Amanda was instructed to be there.

“During that initial request, Ms. Michaels was instructed to return to our Court two weeks later on September 10, 2024 for a final determination on the Protection Order,” wrote court officials in a statement. “In the meantime, restraints were granted against Payton Michaels.  Ms. Michaels didn’t appear for the hearing on September 10, 2024.  Under the law, the temporary Protection Order which restrained Mr. Michaels expired that day.  No one appeared to request further action and the petition was dismissed without prejudice.  Our Court is committed to protecting victims and preventing senseless acts of violence.”

Still, loved ones feel the court system should have done more to prevent Payton from harming Amanda after his release from jail.

“As I’m concerned, Washington state judicial system is guilty of my daughter’s execution,” said Amanda’s mother, Dawn A. Jursch-Bennett.

“There should be some kind of extreme factors to make sure that this kind of thing does not happen,” said Hardy.

Hardy and Jursch-Bennett are pushing for mandatory mental health evaluations before violent offenders are released. They also want more safeguards in place to protect victims.

In the meantime, they are trying to process the unthinkable and honor Amanda’s memory.

“She was such a beautiful soul,” Jursch-Bennett said. “I don’t mean just her outside, just everything her heart.”

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